TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia Introduces New Map Featuring North Natuna Sea
The Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ministry has introduced a new map featuring the North Natuna Sea.
“It was lastly updated in 2005,” Arif Havas Oegroseno, deputy for maritime sovereignty at the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ministry said at his office today.
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Earlier, the waters north of the Natuna Islands were being claimed as part of the South China Sea. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 1953 said that the South China Sea includes an area near Java.
The move was made to assert Indonesia’s control over the Natuna Sea. It will also have an impact on the economy because the Natuna Islands have oil and gas potential.
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“Its impact on the economic sector is that there will be clarity on the natural resources exploration areas,” he said.
Oil and gas potential at Natuna District lies on the Natuna Sea which hosts 11 contractors and 13 working areas. The district holds 298.81 million barrels of oil and 55.3 trillion cubic feet of gas.
MEIDIKA SRI WARDIANA | WAWAN PRIYANTO
